Pre-Budget event: A million seniors join forces to demand change on long standing call for pension and healthcare reform

Pre-Budget event: A million seniors join forces to demand change on long standing call for pension and healthcare reform

Toronto, ON: Seniors Vote/Le Vote Des Aînés– a nation-wide collaboration of 50 national and regional seniors and retirees, advocacy and professional associations – representing well over a million older Canadians – will host a pre-budget event in Ottawa:

Seniors Vote/ Le Vote Des Aînés released an open letter calling on Canada’s Finance Ministers to act on long standing recommendations for pension and healthcare reform.

MPs from all parties will meet with representatives of the 50 seniors and retiree groups, representing well over a million older Canadians from all walks of life across the country, which have come together to secure our future for all Canadians as we age.

“This is unprecedented. When we realized that so many retiree groups have made the same demands year after year, we decided that we needed to make our voice stronger by coming together.”
– Pat Kerwin President, CURC

“Don’t be misled by the fact that these recommendations have been seen before. SeniorsVote/Le Vote des Aînés makes clear that older Canadians from across the country and across all disciplines think that these priorities have not been addressed and they are prepared to exercise their franchise to make it happen.”-Susan Eng, VP, Advocacy for CARP

“Pensioners are tired of watching their standard of living deteriorate while the distribution of wealth in Canada becomes more inequitable. Seniors’ advocates are here now with a common vision and the determination to effect change. They’re worried about their children and grandchildren who not only have no workplace pension but are having trouble getting jobs in this economy. These reforms are for them.”– Herb John, President, National Pensioners Federation

“Quebec’s particular demographics, which is the second fastest ageing population in the world after Japan, is of great concern especially in regards to issues related to low income, poor housing and difficult access to adequate health services. Réseau FADOQ joins the Seniors Vote/Le Vote des Aînés movement to demand a better quality of life for seniors of today and tomorrow.”–Danis Prud’homme, Executive Manager for FADOQ

“The scope of ‘aging issues’ and the sheer size of our senior population requires a multi-faceted strategy that engages all corners of Canadian society. The Canadian Nurses Association, representing Canada’s largest group of health-care providers, is proud to partner with CARP as part of Seniors Vote/Le Vote des Aînés to bring seniors health and well-being to the forefront of our nation’s agenda ahead of a federal election.”– Anne Sutherland Boal, Canadian Nurses Association CEO

Seniors Vote/Le Vote des Aînés calls on the federal government to

Work with provinces to increase the CPP

Strengthen income support by

Restoring the OAS eligibility age to 65 from 67

Increase the exempt earnings band for GIS

Increasing the amount of OAS and GIS for low income seniors

Increase income supports for low-income single older Canadians not yet eligible for OAS by creating an equivalent to the OAS spousal allowance

Prohibit retroactive erosion of earned pension benefits

Work with the provinces to create a national pharmacare plan, with an ultimate goal of first dollar coverage for all Canadians

Work with the provinces to fund and set national home care standards to improve access, affordability, and quality of post-acute and chronic care, in the home and in the community, with particular focus on dementia care

Increase financial support and provide workplace protection for caregivers

Work with the provinces to ensure every Canadian has access to housing appropriate to need, including affordable and supportive housing, and assisted living services

Address growing income inequality which affects Canadians of all ages

Seniors Vote/Le Vote des Aînés is endorsed by a nation-wide group of national and regional seniors and retirees, advocacy and professional associations including the National Pensioners Federation, CARP, Réseau FADOQ, Congress of Union Retirees of Canada, International Federation on Aging, College of Family Physicians of Canada, Canadian Legion [Ontario], Older Women’s Network, retired teachers, university and college professors, public servants, police and health care workers. [Click here to see full updated list ]

Seniors Vote is a collaboration of seniors, retirees, professional and advocacy groups raising common concerns which particularly resonate with older Canadians – financial security in retirement and healthcare reform. The attached details the recommendations for the upcoming federal budget and our priority issues for the 2015 federal election.

It is now common knowledge that older Canadians are the most committed voters; 65% or more of older voters turnout to vote regularly. Older Canadians are also among the most politically engaged voters whose past party loyalty cannot be taken for granted. This has led all political parties to ask: “What do seniors want?”

And the answer has been the call for the kind of transformative change in our public systems that will make life better for all Canadians as they age. Many such reforms will only benefit future generations.

Seniors Vote calls for pension reform to ensure that people will not outlive their money by expanding access to pension savings and increasing income support.

The call for healthcare reform demands that Canadians not be treated as health consumers or merely patients, but rather as “healthcare citizens” who pay for the system and expect it to serve the broad values set out in the Canada Health Act – universality, accessibility and comprehensiveness. To do this, the healthcare system must undergo transformative change and centre itself around the needs and expectations of the healthcare citizen, to not only provide medical intervention but also support prevention and social determinants of health, the family caregiver and end of life care

Seniors want to stay in their own homes but too often programs like homecare are not there for them to do so. There is a need for a national housing strategy that includes seniors housing. Access to affordable and suitable housing is a major determinant of health, an instrument to reduce poverty and a critical component of age-friendly communities.

Income inequality is growing in Canada. More seniors are falling below the poverty line. Seniors are also concerned that too many of their children and grandchildren are facing precarious work and a bleak future.

It is clear that Seniors indeed vote. This sets out what Seniors will vote for. Today’s ballot questions are the blueprint for our children’s tomorrow.

Seniors Vote is endorsed by:

Income and Retirement Security

Achieving income security in working life and retirement is increasingly difficult for Canadians of all ages.

Nearly 5 million Canadians live in poverty

12 percent of seniors still live in poverty, amounting to more 600,000 people

1 in 6 single seniors live in poverty, most of whom are women

Twelve million working Canadians do not have workplace pension plans and significant numbers of Canadians will face a substantial drop in their standard of living on retirement

Younger working Canadians will have especially limited access to workplace pensions

Seniors Vote calls on the federal government to:

Work with provinces to increase the CPP

Strengthen income support by

Restoring the OAS eligibility age to 65 from 67

Increase the exempt earnings band for GIS

Increasing the amount of OAS and GIS for low income seniors

Increase income supports for low-income single older Canadians not yet eligible for OAS by creating an equivalent to the OAS spousal allowance

Prohibit retroactive erosion of earned pension benefits

Federal Leadership on Healthcare Transformation

Healthcare remains the highest priority for Canadians who are calling for transformative change.

Older Canadians and their families find the system inadequate to the task of meeting their post-acute and chronic care needs, very difficult to navigate, and incomplete

Over 8 million caregivers provide invaluable support to family members and the formal health system, without adequate support from employers and government

Poverty, social isolation, a poor physical environment, and inadequate housing leads to poor health outcomes. Investments in prevention and in the social determinants of health could save the system money and produce better health outcomes for Canadians

Transforming the healthcare system to better work for all Canadians requires federal leadership

Seniors Vote calls on the federal government to:

Work with the provinces to create a national pharmacare plan, with an ultimate goal of first dollar coverage for all Canadians

Work with the provinces to fund and set standards to improve access, affordability, and quality of post-acute and chronic care, in the home and in the community, with particular focus on dementia care

Increase financial support and provide workplace protection for caregivers

Work with the provinces to ensure every Canadian has access to housing appropriate to need, including affordable and supportive housing, and assisted living services